"We want the world to know our loved ones mattered, and our lives are impacted because of their senseless loss," the Rev. Glenn Grayson said Sunday.

Grayson is with the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, a group of 35 local congregations whose goal is preventing gun violence. His 18-year-old son, Jeron, was shot in California, Pa., in 2010.

"We hope that people will recognize in number, how impactful, how tangible, these crosses representing lives are," Grayson said.

"We need to get our communities back," said Shawntika Rice, whose 17-year-old son, Rashee Coleman, was shot last year in the Hill. "We need to say, 'No, you are not going to continue to take our babies from us.'"

Organizers hope the crosses will be a standing reminder to people to think twice before shooting a gun or failing to report information to police.